Hi! 23 year old female, this is all new to me and wanted some insight.

I suffer from anxiety disorder, never had migraines before until I was diagnosed with anxiety 3 years ago. I would get a migraine maybe 1-2 a month but excedrin extra strength would generally take care of it. Recently around my period I started getting headaches more frequently and then those headaches become migraines. My migraines do not have aura, no vomiting (but I do feel nauseated and have little appetite) sensitive to smell and it bother me more to lay down than stand up(is that unusual?). My question mostly is that are menstrual migraines real? I only seem to get them before and a few times during my period but never any other time of the month. I've been taking excedrin extra strength for headaches for 3 years and it's fine, it helps the migraines but not all the time so I was prescribed Sumatriptan 25mg and tried it for the first time and it killed the migraine.

Is it possible to control migraines and live a normal life? Any response is welcome! Thank you.

7 Replies

I do suffer from anxiety as well, and about a year ago I got my first episode of migranes with aura 2 days before my period. ever since then, I get migraines headaches few times a month and of course right before my period they get worse! so yes hormones have a lot to do with migraines. Since my migraines come with vertigo the Dr put me on nortriptyline and they are less intense and less painful now, but I still get them. Anxiety plays a big role on this, so try to find a way to lessen your anxiety because for me that's a big trigger.

Of course they're real! I don' tend to get migraines caused by menstrual cycle although sometimes it's a coincidence. Just wanted to give you some hope that migraines can be managed & that there are many medications that can be tried to prevent them in the first place. Best talk to your doctor about it.

Hi there, yeah totally agree with teadrinker you need to speak with your doctor. I've been having migraines since i was 14, always with hormones fluctuating. There are specific contraception pills you can go on to help stop/ or get this under control.

I had 2 kids and each time i had 9mths of migraines ( 5yrs between them because the migraines were uncontrollable ).

Speak to your doctor, it would be helpful and speed your treatment up if you have a diary showing a couple of months of details of when they hit.

Hi there, I just had to reply and let u no that yes u can have a normal life. !!!! 2 yrs ago I was having a migraine once a week with sickness. 4 times in 6 months I collapsed. I was taken to hospital was seen by neurologist was put on medication called Topiramate and in a year I've had 3 migraines and no collapses. A lot better than I was before.